Islamic cleric Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad, who holds the title of the Grand mufti of India, sparked a fresh controversy after he said women should remain confined to their homes like precious jewellery is stored inside a box. The Islamic scholar said bringing women in public sphere could lead to destruction.Kerala cleric Sheikh Abubakr Ahmad says women must remain confined to their homes. (File Pic/@shkaboobacker on X )He further claimed that the purdah system was meant to keep women safe. "It is precisely recognising that bringing women onto public platforms in this manner causes great destruction that Islam mandated purdah for women," news agency PTI quoted him as saying.The Kerala-based Islamic scholar, also known as Kanthapuram AP Aboobacker Musliyar, likened women to gold ornaments which need to be kept safely "If the necklace has to retain its beauty, it has to be kept safely inside a box," he said.ALSO READ: Turkish, Saudi, Pakistani ministers’ first Mecca defence pact meeting today: 10 things to knowHe drew a comparison with a nearby store that sold stone grinders, saying that such items could be left outside along the road without concern, even if passers-by walked around or over them. In contrast, he said, a gold necklace could not be treated in the same manner. If it were left on the roadside, people would touch it as they passed, gradually damaging its appearance and diminishing its value.Speaking at an Islamic conference in Kochi, the cleric said, "The Holy Quran states that women should live confined within their homes and must not make public appearances." His statement comes after a controversial circular, issued recently, said "women should not be present on public platforms". The circular drew criticism, with several women political leaders speaking out against it.The Kanthapuram faction of the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama, the state's premier council of Sunni-Shafi Islamic scholars, last week said religious celebrations and programmes should remain within prescribed boundaries.Kanthapuram said such views had been taught by knowledgeable religious scholars, particularly leaders of Samastha, for the past 100 years. He further said religious scholars who had studied the religion had an obligation to speak on the issue and would continue to do so despite objections.Who is Sheikh Abubakr AhmadSheikh Abubakr Ahmad is a top figure among the Sunni sect of Islam in India and the South Asian region.Though the title is not official in the sense of government's approval, he is widely known as the ‘Grand Mufti of India’, in fact the 10th to hold the title. Islam and India have other grand muftis too, with prominent mosques being their headquarters. ‘Mufti’, the term, essentially means an Islamic law expert.(With inputs from PTI)